Run like Hell - Map02 "Break on Through"

[Frank Harper]

Break on Through - is second map from boom format episode "Run like Hell" for DOOM II. Maps are based around idea of Knee-Deep in the Dead episode but reversed. All maps are completly new but contained little refferences to original maps from DOOM.
 

I desided to release maps seperatly as they ready, considering how much time its takes for me to make a map.
 

Very interested in feedback, especially later in one section (where you entering main base), because i was too carried away while making it, to the point when map basically starts to break. Unfortunately, for this reason, i have no other choice but to completly rework last section, and im wondering how it ended up.

 

• Boom format map;
• Require limit-removing port;
• Tested in GZdoom, Zandronum and prboom(-complevel 9);
• Require hardware rendering to prevent HOM and slime trail effect;
• Made with freelook in mind but possible with normal look;
• Jumping and crounch are disabled;
• Difficulty settings are implemented;
• Map slot Map02;
• Maps in episode made with pistol start in mind.

Links:
Map 02 - https://drive.google.com/file/d/12axjmHj_rFqxV7ieOVbk9KDuD4CmucUq/view?usp=sharing
Map 03 topic - 

Spoiler

V1.1

Spoiler

• Added Super shotgun before pillar room on lower difficulties;
• Before pillar room, green armor is replaced with blue one;
• Somewhat fixed collision issue in pillar room by adding wooden square around pillar;
• Added timed bars on final section to prevent skips;
• Added extra barrel to make sure that first arachnotron dies;
• You can`t go back to cave, from chaingunner-revenant ambush;
• Fixed misspeling in level name;
• Fixed some textures alligment;

V1.2

Spoiler

• Updated map01-02 to be compatible with prboom;

 

Screenshots:

Spoiler

 

Edited February 25, 2023 by Frank Harper : Added link for topic of map03

[Degree23]

Played on UV in Zandronum. There were some slime trails and HOMs.

 

https://ibb.co/P4cW9v1, https://ibb.co/hK4L0y3, https://ibb.co/18njtpm, https://ibb.co/9tGVJDr, https://ibb.co/dJpJwpB, https://ibb.co/x1HLKhW

 

Overall this was another great map. A few comments.

- There's a long time at the start with only a Pistol. An early SG wouldn't do much harm to the level, but would reduce the tediousness of the start.

- If you don't find the secret SSG, some of the following fights would be incredibly tough. Given that this level seems to want to stay away from the powerful weapons, I think you really need a non-secret SSG, particularly before the teleporting AV fight, especially as you don't seem to even get a Chaingun for quite a while. Yes there is a Berserk pack, but it's not really enough.

- Speaking of that fight, the central pillar is incredibly annoying. I expected to be able to run around it and hug the edge due to the geometry, but you actually get stuck on parts of it for reasons I couldn't work out, and this caused me to take 2 AV blasts I would otherwise have dodged, which left me frustrated and I didn't really enjoy the rest of the map as a result. This fight itself was great though, and a really nice use of the teleporting mechanic. I would maybe have the other monsters teleporting in a bit sooner to force you to decide if you want to clear the floor first and dodge the AV, or focus the AV down and avoid the monsters on the floor.

- You seem to be able to just run through the final room and not fight anything, which seems a shame, so I'd maybe have a timed door on the exit before the stairs, as it's a fairly interesting fight with the Revenants on the side.

- The end of the map gave me real Doom 2 Reloaded Map 1 vibes!

 

Really awesome stuff. Thanks for messaging me to let me know about it. I hope for a Map 3 in the not too distant future!

 

[Frank Harper]

8 hours ago, Degree23 said:

Played on UV in Zandronum. There were some slime trails and HOMs.

Hmmm thats really weird as i tested map multiple times in zandronum and never see anything like that. Probably need to step back a little bit in detaling direction.

8 hours ago, Degree23 said:

- There's a long time at the start with only a Pistol. An early SG wouldn't do much harm to the level, but would reduce the tediousness of the start.

I want to longer use of pistol as i rarely see that in other wads, but maybe that was the reason for this and turned out to be not a good idea.

8 hours ago, Degree23 said:

- If you don't find the secret SSG, some of the following fights would be incredibly tough. Given that this level seems to want to stay away from the powerful weapons, I think you really need a non-secret SSG, particularly before the teleporting AV fight, especially as you don't seem to even get a Chaingun for quite a while. Yes there is a Berserk pack, but it's not really enough.

Yeah probabbly agree on that one.

8 hours ago, Degree23 said:

Speaking of that fight, the central pillar is incredibly annoying.

Thats one will be fixed for sure.

8 hours ago, Degree23 said:

I would maybe have the other monsters teleporting in a bit sooner to force you to decide if you want to clear the floor first and dodge the AV, or focus the AV down and avoid the monsters on the floor.

I made monsters teleported lately because i want player to get used to archville teleporting. In early version they strats teleporting without big dellay and i think player will be overwhelmed. It seems still possible, but you will probbably die first time.

8 hours ago, Degree23 said:

- You seem to be able to just run through the final room and not fight anything,

Agree on that one too. Will be fixed.

[Degree23]

11 hours ago, Frank Harper said:

I want to longer use of pistol as i rarely see that in other wads, but maybe that was the reason for this and turned out to be not a good idea.

 

The problem with the pistol in Doom is that it doesn't have anything unique about it, it's simply a less powerful version of the Chaingun, and therefore there's almost no situation where you can go "the Pistol is better than any other weapon". In other games, the Pistol (or "default starting weapon") has been something like an energy-based weapon with a recharging mechanism which effectively means it has infinite ammo, so it's therefore something that makes it stand out from other weapons in the game. Doom's Pistol doesn't have this.

 

Another thought I had was that if you were putting together a multi-level WAD, I would have this before your previous map.

[Frank Harper]

10 hours ago, Degree23 said:

Another thought I had was that if you were putting together a multi-level WAD, I would have this before your previous map.

Why? Even if we doesn't count "story", this level is harder overall and have more variety of monsters (and their numbers) and weapons (through secrets, but still).

[Degree23]

Sorry, when I went back and looked at this, I realised I was thinking of completely the wrong map! I wouldn't say this one is that much harder overall, but you can disregard my previous comment.